Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

The Choir of St George's ChapelatWindsor Castleexists to sing services inSt George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

TheQuireof St George's Chapel, by Charles Wild, fromW.H. Pyne'sRoyal Residences,1818.

It has been in existence since 1348 and, with the exception of theCommonwealthperiod (1649–1660), has sung services in the Chapel continuously ever since.

The choir today

The choir comprises up to 23 choristers (the youngest of whom are probationers or training choristers) and 12 professionalLay Clerks,who sing alto,tenorandbass.The Choir sings at Evensong each day (except Wednesdays) and at Mattins and Eucharist on Sunday mornings during the three terms of the College year. The choristers are educated atSt George's School, Windsor Castlewhich is situated in the Castle grounds. The Lay Clerks live in the Horseshoe Cloister and on Denton's Commons.

The choir sings regularly in the presence of theKingand other members of theRoyal Family.

Concerts are also given from time to time, some collaborating with ensembles such as the London Concert Orchestra, the London Handel Orchestra,Southbank Sinfoniaand theLondon Mozart Players.The choir also broadcasts regularly onBBC Radio 3andBBC Radio 4.

The choir is directed by the Director of Music and accompanied the Assistant Director of Music, plus anorgan scholarwho is selected by audition on an annual basis.

In January 2022 – two months after the first woman became a lay clerk there – it was announced that the choir would admit girl choristers from the following year, forming a mixed treble line.

List of Organists and Masters of Choristers (known as 'Director of Music' from 2004)

• Walter Whitby1406–1415
• Laurence Dreweryn1415–1441
• John Wederby1441–1461
• Thomas Rolfe1461–1469
• Robert Cotyngham1469–1473
• William Browne 1473–1476
• Thomas Rolfe1476–1489
• Tuke, Bell, Bowyer, Bednall and Rede (acted jointly)
• Richard Wood 1496–1531
• John Marbeck,1531–1547
• George Thaxton1547–1559
• Preston 1559–1563
• Robert Golder1563–1564
• Richard Farrant,1564–1580
• John Mundy1581–1585
• Nathaniel Giles1585–1632
• William Child1632–1697
• John Golding1697–1719
• John Pigott1719–1756
• Edward Webb1756–1788
• Theodore Aylward Sr.,1788–1801
• William Sexton1801–1824
• Karl Friedrich Horn1824–1830
• Highmore Skeats1830–1835
• SirGeorge Job Elvey,1835–1882
• SirWalter Parratt,1882–1924
• The Revd CanonEdmund Fellowes,1924–1927, Acting Master of the Choristers, with GS Kitchingman and laterMalcolm Boyle,as Acting Organist
• SirHenry Walford Davies,1927–1932
• Charles Hylton Stewart,1932
• SirWilliam Henry Harris,1933–1961
• Sidney Campbell1961–1974
• Christopher Robinson1974–1991
• Jonathan Rees-Williams1991–2002
• Roger Judd(Acting) 2002–2004
• Timothy Byram-Wigfield,2004–2013
• James Vivian,2013-incumbent

Sub organists

• Richard Frank Martin Akerman 1908 – 1924
• Malcolm Boyle1925 – 1932
• Reginald Alwyn Surplice1932 – 1945
• John Morehen 1968 – 1972

Assistant Organists

• Charles Hancock???? – 1875
• G.F. Huntley 1875 – 1880
• Hubert Hunt (?1880 - c.1885)
• Henry Walford Davies1885 – 1890 (later Organist of theTemple ChurchLondon and subsequently Organist here 1927–1932 – see above)
• Richard Frank Martin Akerman 1900 – 1908 (afterwards Sub Organist)
• Harold William Rhodes 1908 – 1910 (later successively Organist ofCoventry CathedralandWinchester Cathedral)
• Reginald Alwyn Surplice1927 – 1932 (afterwards Sub Organist here and later successively Organist ofBristol CathedralandWinchester Cathedral)
• John Charles Stirling Forster 1941 – 1945
• Philip Harold Moore 1946 – 1949 (not the same asPhilip Moore (organist)who was later Organist ofGuildford CathedralandYork Minster)
• Lionel Frederick Dakers1950 – 1954 (later Organist ofExeter Cathedral)
• Richard George Greening 1955 – 1959 (later Organist ofLichfield Cathedral)
• Clement McWilliam 1959 – 1965 (later Sub Organist ofWinchester Cathedral)
• John Porter 1972 – 1985 (deceased while in office)
• Roger Judd 1985 – 2008
• Ben Giddens 2008 – 2009 (Acting)

Assistant Directors of Music

• Richard Pinel 2009 – 2016 (subsequently Director of Music atJesus College, Cambridge,currently Director of Music at St Mary's, Bourne Street)
• Luke Bond2017 – incumbent

Organ Scholars

• Peter J Williams 1965–1966
• John Porter 1965–1967 (later Assistant Organist here)
• John Taylor 1965–1967 (then Assistant Organist ofSt Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh)
• Terence Atkins 1967–1969 (now Organist and Choirmaster at St John the Baptist Parish Church, Chipping Barnet)
• Jason Smart 1969–1972
• Francis Grier1972–1973 (afterwards Organ Scholar of King's College, Cambridge; later Organist and Master of the Choristers atChrist Church, Oxford)
• Colin Walsh1973–1974 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofChrist Church, Oxford;later Assistant OrganistSalisbury Cathedral,OrganistSt Albans Cathedral,now Organist LaureateLincoln Cathedral)
• Christopher Brayne 1974–1975 (later Organist and Master of the Choristers of Bristol Cathedral; now Director of Music at Christ Church, Charlotte, North Carolina)
• Thomas Trotter1975–1976 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofKing's College, Cambridge,later Organist ofSt Margaret's Church, WestminsterandBirmingham City Organist)
• Adrian Partington1977–1978 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofKing's College, Cambridge;currently Director of MusicGloucester Cathedral)
• Harry Bicket1978–1980 (Director,The English Concert)
• Wayne Marshall1980–1983
• Iain Simcock 1983–1984
• Neil Kelly 1984–1986
• Andrew Nethsingha1986–1987 (afterwards Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge; currently Director of Music atWestminster Abbey)
• Roger Muttitt 1987–1988 (currently Director of Music atDurham School)
• Philip Scriven 1988–1990 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofSt John's College, Cambridge;then Sub-Organist ofWinchester Cathedral;later Organist and Master of the Choristers atLichfield Cathedral)
• Mark Wardell1990–1991 (later Assistant Organist ofChichester Cathedral)
• Jonathan Lilley 1991–1992 (later Sub-Organist atLeeds Parish Church;then Assistant Organist atEly Cathedral;currently Organist ofWaltham Abbey Church)
• Christopher Allsop 1992–1993 (afterwards Organ Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge; Assistant Organist at St. Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham; Assistant Organist and Assistant Director of Music, Worcester Cathedral; Assistant Director of Music, The King's School, Worcester; currently Organist ofEton College)
• Matthew Raisbeck 1993–1994
• Greg Morris1994–1995 (currently Associate Organist Temple Church, London)
• Iain Farrington1995–1996 (then Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge)
• Myles Hartley 1996–1997
• Teilhard Scott 1997–1999
• Jonathan Vaughn1999–2000 (afterwards Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge; then Assistant Organist of Wells Cathedral)
• Robert Kwan 2000–2001 (Assistant to the Organist-Choirmaster, Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Westport, CT; currently Director of Music, Trinity Episcopal Church, Southport, CT, USA)
• Francesca Massey2001–2002 (Acting Assistant Organist September–December 2001; afterwards Organ Scholar of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; then Sub-Organist of Durham Cathedral; then Organist and Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral)
• Tom Winpenny 2002–2003 (Acting Assistant Organist; then Organ Scholar of King's College, Cambridge; then Sub-Organist, St Paul's Cathedral; currently Assistant Master of the Music, St Alban's Cathedral)
• Henry Parkes 2003–2004 (Acting Assistant Organist September–December 2003; then Organ Scholar of Christ Church, Oxford; later Associate Director of Music All Saints, Margaret Street, London)
• Ben Giddens 2004–2005 (afterwards Organ Scholar Norwich Cathedral; subsequently Acting Assistant Organist at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle; later Assistant Organist Magdalen College, Oxford)
• Peter Stevens 2005–2006 (afterwards Organ Scholar of King's College, Cambridge; currently Assistant Master of Music, Westminster Cathedral)
• John Challenger 2006–2008 (afterwards Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge; currently Assistant Director of Music at Salisbury Cathedral)
• Laurence Williams 2008–2009 (afterwards Choral Scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge)
• Alexander Binns 2009–2010 (afterwards studied organ at theRoyal Academy of Music, Londonwhilst Organ Scholar at Marylebone Parish Church, theRoyal Hospital Chelsea,andSouthwark Cathedral,currently Director of Music atDerby Cathedral)
• Ben Bloor 2010–2011 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofNew College, Oxford;later Organ Scholar ofWestminster Cathedral;currently Organist of theBrompton Oratory,London)
• Adam Mathias 2011–2012 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofEmmanuel College, Cambridge)
• Joseph Beech 2012–2013 (afterwards studied organ at theRoyal Academy of Music,London, whilst Organ scholar ofBrompton Oratoryand thenSt Paul's Cathedral;Assistant Master of the Music,St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh;currently Sub-Organist,Durham Cathedral)
• Glen Dempsey 2013–2014 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofSt John's College, Cambridge;currently Assistant Director of Music,Ely Cathedral)
• Alexander Hamilton 2014–2015 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofTrinity College, Cambridgethen Organ Scholar ofWestminster Abbey;currently Assistant Director of Music ofWells Cathedral)
• Asher Oliver 2015–2016 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofTrinity College, Cambridge;then Organ Scholar ofSt Paul's Cathedral)
• Benjamin Newlove 2016–2017 (King's College, University of London;previously Organ Scholar of St Michael's Church, Cornhill and currently atSt. Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge)
• Jason Richards 2017–2018 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofJesus College, Cambridge)
• Lucy Morrell 2018–2019 (previously Organ Scholar ofGirton College, Cambridge;afterwards Organ Scholar ofSt Mary’s Collegiate Church, Warwick)
• Emily India Evans 2019-2020 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofSidney Sussex College, Cambridge)
• Alexander Trigg 2020-2021 (afterwards Organ Scholar ofSt John's College, Cambridge)
• Alex Robson 2021-2022 (currently Organ Scholar ofSt John's College, Cambridge)
• Miriam Reveley 2022-2023 (currently Organ Scholar ofJesus College, Cambridge)
• Drew Sellis 2023-present (previously Organ Scholar ofJesus College, Cambridge)

Notable alumni

• Michael Chance,countertenor
• SirHenry Walford Davies,composer and noted speaker and broadcaster on music
• David Fanshawe,classical composer
• Francis Grier,classical composer
• SirWilliam Henry Harris,composer of church music
• John Lubbock,conductor
• SirArthur Sullivan,composer
• Robin Blaze,countertenor
• Jeremy Filsell,organist; Director of Music at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue

See also

• Anglican church music
• St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle

References

• For organists appointed prior to 1939:Organists and Masters of the Choristers of St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.Historical monographs relating to St. George's Chapel, Windsor CastleVolume 3.Edmund Fellowes(1939)

External links

• Choir website
• Current music list
• Information about the choristers
• Video about the choristers
• A history of the choristers of St George's Chapel Windsor
• Chapel shop